So Aircell just nabbed itself the first and only approval from the FAA for air-to-ground mobile broadband for US domestic flights, meaning we're that much closer to in-flight internet. So far the approval just covers the Boeing 767-200, which means Aircell can start prepping equipment to cover the 767-200 fleet of American Airlines this year, but they're also prepping to cover the Airbus A320 fleet of Virgin America. Routes between LA, SF, NY and Miami are going to get priority treatment. Aircell's Joe Cruz was also quick to point out that this approval paves the way for future aircraft approvals, which certainly can't come soon enough.

[Via Phone Scoop]

As you know, American Airlines is prepping in-flight WiFi in addition to, uh, anti-missile systems. Good news on the former, pricing is set. Good if $10 WiFi for flights less than three-hours or $12.95 for longer flights excites your fiscal sweet-spot like it does American's. Rollout will begin this summer on AA's 767-200 jets before rolling out across its entire fleet.

[Via WNN]

It seems like everyone is hopping on the in-flight WiFi bandwagon these days, with American Airlines only the latest to offer the desirable service, joining the likes of Lufthansa, Qantas, and others. For its system, American Airlines is relying on the expertise of AirCell, which is promising to get things up and running on at least some flights sometime next year. Initially, the in-flight WiFi will only be offered on American Airlines' fleet of Boeing 767-200 aircraft, which primarily fly transcontinental routes. From the looks of it, however, the service won't be a freebie, with American Airlines saying it'll announce the cost of the service at the time it's rolled out.

The seemingly never-ending "will they or won't they" saga involving the FCC, the FAA, airlines, mobile carriers, and the extraordinarily annoying plane passenger sitting next to you has taken another unexpected turn this week. On the heels of a CTIA study suggesting that so-called "picocells" placed on planes to communicate with phones won't completely eliminate paralyzing interference with ground towers, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin suggesting that the feds should hold off on lifting the in-flight calling ban. Apparently, the big issue revolves around phones operating on bands that aren't supported by the installed picocell; in the absence of that local communication, the handset goes right back to mussin' and fussin' with the traditional towers several miles below -- potentially with disastrous effects to the network and other users, never mind the fact that no one's managed to conclusively prove that aircraft systems won't be affected. For what it's worth, the chairman's suggestion is just that -- a suggestion -- and doesn't prevent the agency's commissioners from approving the move anyway. While we're the first to agree that the thought of a couple hundred passengers yakking away in tight quarters is a starkly frightening one, we're not sure it's the FCC's place to be legislating away annoyances -- let the feds do their technical due diligence, we say. Word has it the picocells can be tweaked to fix the CTIA's concerns, and if that holds up, airlines will decide individually whether to let customers dial (or, at the very least, access data services) mid-flight. From there, we'll all be voting with our dollars.

[Via Techdirt]

Last we heard from the Connexion by Boeing service, it was slated to get shut off by the end of the year (sheesh, that's like, in 10 days). However, it wasn't that bad, because ASiQ and Panasonic were supposed to take over the market that Boeing left behind. However, Panasonic's version looks like it won't get implemented anytime soon due to "financial and regulatory complications," which appear to prevent the service from going live until 2008. Further, WiFi expert Glenn Fleishman says that a company called AirCell was supposed to be launching a cheaper air-to-ground Internet service in late 2007 within North America and the Caribbean, but recently announced that it would be delayed until early 2008. So it looks like that this coming year, the skies will be a little unfriendlier, as far as net access goes -- let's hope that ASiQ comes through as planned.

[Via Techdirt]

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